Ski pole



c.N1cHo| s 2,347,789

May 2, 1944.

SKI POLE Filved May 20,-1941 FEJ fmoldable plastic such as Bakelite ,part 60 has a tapered hole which mates with the the strap relative to the ring, so that the original equal angular disposition of the straps will be maintained without necessitating the use of small pins or rivets through the straps and the ring 38. The middle portion of each strap is perforated to provide a hole large enough to fit on the collar I. For this purpose the strap is preferably widened at the middle. To increase the flexibility of the strap the widened portion may be longitudinally slit or cut away as is indicated at 44. The slits may form a direct' extension of the hole because the assembly of the three straps will, in any case, form a complete hole as is clearly shown in Fig. 8.

With this arrangement the ring is rotatable on A the collar and is also angularly flexible not only because of the flexibility of the individual metal straps but also because of the V-shaped nature of the groove in collar It. It is to produce this V-shaped groove that the parts of the collar are preferably given the frusto-conical shape shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

To help better dynamically balance the pole, I prefer to weight the upper end of the pole, so as to help offset the turning moment of the basket. This is best shown in Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that a solid plug 46 of a suitable weighty metal is forced into the upper end of the shaft. This weight is, of course, localized atthe very top of the shaft and handle, and will not have the desired effect if it is carried down through the length of the handle. For best operation the weight should be localized above the point at which the skier grasps the handle, in order to help balance the pole about the hand, considering the hand as a fulcrurn.

The plug 46 also helps when attaching the Wrist strap to the shaft. The wrist strap is preferably made of leather and may have a width approximately equal to the diameter of the upper or large end of the shaft. Still referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that one end 4B of the strap terminates at the shaft, while the other end passes ,over the top of the shaft and plug at 5U and is turned downA the opposite side at 52. A single rivet 54 passes diametrically through the shaft and plug and three thicknesses of strap. 'Ihe rivet preferably has a relatively large flat head 156, and a washer 58 may be used at the opposite end before closing the rivet, sothat the attachment of the strap to the shaft is very strong. v The balance plug 46 obviously helps prevent fiattening or deformation of the shaft duringthe yriveting operation..

The handle I8 is made of two parts, there being a main handle portion 6B and a cap t2. Both parts are preferably molded out of a suitable The main upper end of the shaft. This part is applied to the shaft by simply sliding it upwardly from the fsmall end of the shaft toward the large end of the shaft, before securing the collar I6 to the shaft. The upper end is hollowed at 6I to receive the .strap end 52, leaving a wall 63 which 'is altogether cut away as indicated at 64 for passage of the double thickness wrist strap 20. Slot 64 is carried down at 65 for adequate clearance. Fig. 4 shows the slot 64 without the wrist strap, while Fig. `9 shows the relation of the parts with the wrist strap in position. The wall 63 is 'threaded at 66A (Fig. 3).

The cap parts 62 is internally threaded to mate with the thread i766 and may be screwed thereover as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the cap is screwed "in'place it effectively holds the handle in position at the top of the shaft. t also encloses and conceals the upper end of the shaft and the ends of the wrist strap. This molded handle has a number of advantages, but one additional advantage is the ease with which it may be given a non-circular cross section. The handle is preferably provided with a longitudinal ridge 68 at its forward side, as is best shown in Figs, 1 and 5. In other words, the handle when viewed in transverse cross section is approximately circular, but is provided with a rounded projection at one side. This construction greatly increases the comfort with which the handle may be gripped.

It will be seen that the passage of the wrist strap 20 through the slot 64 of the handle locks the handle against rotation relative to that shaft. This insures that the ridge 68 will be located in the forward or desired position, and also definitely fixes the orientation of the point 22 relative to the handle and the wrist strap. The basket, however, is freely rotatable on collar I6, this being a desirable feature of the invention.

It is believed that the construction and method of assembly, as well as the many advantages of my improved ski pole, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. The metal straps of the basket are unaffected by water or weather, and will not stretch or shrink. The basket will wear indefinitely. 1t is freely rotatable relative to the shaft and is angularly fiexible not only because of the flexibility of the straps, but also because of the V-shape of the collar holding the same. The basket may be removed from the shaft for compact storage of the ski poles over summer. This is also of value during shipment from the manufacturer to stores, and while being kept in stock in stores. In fact, some owners may prefer to remove the baskets even when travelling to or from a ski resort.

The molded plastic handle is unaffected by water and is warm to the touch. It does not tend to stick to gloves. It may be shaped in any desired manner for a comfortable grip. It is readily applied to the shaft without necessitating transverse pins or rivets which might weaken the shaft or fracture the handle or abrade or injure the hand of the skier. The entire external surface of the handle is a smooth polished unmarred surface, and may be obtained that way directly from the mold at low cost. The wrist strap is securely attached to the shaft wholly independently of the handle, and the rivet used for that purpose is housed and concealed within the handle. The upper end of the shaft may'be weighted to improve the dynamic balance of the pole, and this weight may also function to help strengthen the riveted attachment of the wrist strap.V The relation between the wrist strap andthe handle is such that the strap and its'rivet function to prevent rotation of the handle relative -to lthe shaft.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing" from the spirit of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims. i x

I claim: i

1. The combination with the shaft of a ski pole, of a collar intended to detachablyhold va ,basket on the shaft, said collar comprising male and female portions, said male portion having a frustoconical head and a threaded shank, with a hole running axially therethrough and being'permavnently secured to the shaft, and said female portion being frusto-conieal and internally threaded to receive the threaded shank of the male portion, said portions when assembled providing a V-shaped annular groove adapted to lreceive and to flexibly hold a basket between the frustoconical surfaces of the male and female portions.

2. The combination with the tapered shaft of a ski pole, of a collar intended to detachably hold a basket on the shaft, said collar comprising male and female portions, said male portion having a frusto-conical head and a threaded shank, with a tapered hole running axially therethrough and being permanently secured to the tapered shaft with a forced t, and said female portion being frusto-conical and internally threaded to receive the threaded shank of the male portion, said female portion being provided with a set screw to lock it on the male portion, and said portions when assembled providing a V-shaped annular groove adapted to receive and to flexibly hold a basket between the f-rusto-coni-cal sur-faces of the male and female portions.

3. A ski pole comprising a shaft, `a. basket, and a collar for detachably mounting the basket on the ski pole and for affording free rotation and g angular flexibility of the basket, said basket comprising a metal ring and a plurality of diametri cally arranged sheet metal straps stamped out of relatively thin flexible rust-proof metalthe ends of said straps being fastened to the ring, the vcenter portions of said strapsbeing perforated, and said collar comprising male and female portions, said male portion having .a frusto-conical head and a threaded shank, with a hole running axially therethrough and being permanent-ly secured to the shaft, and said female portion being frusto-conical and internally threaded .to be screwed on the threaded .shank of the male portion, and said portions when assembled providing a V- shaped annular groove `receiving and flexibly holding the basket.

4. A ski pole comprising a tapered shaft, a basket, and a collar for detachably mounting the basket on the ski pole and for affording free rotation and angular flexibility of the basket, said basket comprising a metal ring and a plurality of diametrically arranged sheet metal straps stamped out of relatively thin flexible brass or like rust-proof metal, the ends of said straps being folded about the ring and riveted, the center portions of said straps being widened and perforated, the widened portion being longitudinally slit to increase the flexibility of the straps, and said collar comprising male and female portions, said male portion having a frusto-conical .f

head and a threaded shank, with a tapered hole running axially therethrough and being permanently secured to the tapered shaft with a forced fit, and said female portion being frusto-conical and internally threaded to be screwed on the threaded shank of the male portion, said female portion `being provided with a set screw to lock it on the male portion, and said portions when assembled providing a V-shaped annular groove receiving and flexibly holding the basket between the frusto-conical surfaces of the male and female portions.

5. A ski pole comprising a tapered shaft, and a two-part molded handle made of a suitable moldable plastic, said handle comprising a main portion having a tapered hole adapted to mate with the upper end of the shaft by sliding the same from the small toward the large end of the shaft, the upper end of said main portion being threaded to receive the second part of the handle, said second part being a matingly 'threads ed cap which is screwed to the main part of the handle and encloses .and conceals the upper end ofthe shaft.

6. A ski pole comprising a tapered shaft, a wrist strap, and a two-part molded handle made of a suitable moldable plastic, the ends of said wrist strap being riveted directly to the ski pole independently of the handle, said handle conn prising a main portion having a tapered hole adapted to mate with the upper end ofthe shaft by sliding the same from the small toward the large end of the shaft, the upper end of said main portion being cut away at one side to receive the ends of the wrist strap, and being threaded to receive the second part of the handle, said second part being an internally threaded cup-shaped cap which is screwed onto the main part of the handle and encloses and conceals the riveted inner end of the wrist strap.

7. A ski pole comprising a hollow tapered metallic shaft, a basket near the lower end of the shaft, a two-part molded plastic handle near the upper end of the shaft, said handle comprising a main portion having a tapered hole adapted to mate with the upper end of the shaft by sliding the same from the small toward the large end of the shaft, the forward part .of said main portion being longitudinally enlarged, whereby said handle when viewed in transverse cross section is generally circular Ibut with a rounded projection at one side, for increased comfort when gripping the same, the upper end of said main portion being threaded to receive the second part of the handle, said second par-t being a matingly threadn ed cap which is screwed to the lmain part vof lthe handle and encloses and conceals the upper end of the shaft.

8. A ski pole comprising a hollow tapered metallic shaft, a basket near the lower end of the shaft, a wrist strap and a two-part molded plastic handle near the upper ,end of the shaft, the ends of said wrist strap being riveted directly to the ski pole independently of the handle, said handle comprising a main portion having a tapered hole adapted to mate with .the upper end of the shaft by sliding the same from the small toward the large end of the shaft, the -forward part of said main portion being longitudinally enlarged, whereby saidhandle when viewed in transverse cross section is generally circular but with a rounded projection at one side, for increased comfort when gripping the same, the upper end of said main portion being cut away to receive the ends of the wrist strap, and being threaded to receive the second part of the handle, said second part being an internally threaded cup-shaped cap which is screwed onto the main part of the handle and encloses and conceals the riveted inner end of the wrist strap, said strap preventing rotation of the handle on the shaft.

9. A ski pole comprising a hollow tapered metallic shaft, a basket near the lower end of the shaft, a wrist strap and a two-part molded plastic handle near the upper end of the shaft, a weighty metal plug inserted in the hollow upper end of the shaft in order to help offset the weight of the basket and to better dynamically balance the pole, the ends of said wrist strap being riveted directly to the ski pole independently of the handle by means of a rivet extending through the handle and balance plug, said handle comprismg a main portion having a tapered hole adapted to mate with the upper end of the shaft by sliding the same from the small toward the large end of the shaft, the upper end of said main portion being cut away to receive the ends of the wrist strap, and being threaded to receive the second part of the handle, said second part being an internally threaded cup-shaped cap which is screwed onto the main part of the handle and encloses and conceals the riveted inner end of the wrist strap.

10. A ski pole comprising a hollow tapered metallic shaft, a basket near the lower end of the shafty a two-part molded plastic handle near the upper end of the shafta weighty metal plug inserted in the hollow upper end of the shaft in order to help offset the weight of the basket and to better dynamically balance the pole, said handle comprising a main portion having a tapered hole adapted to mate with the upper end of the shaft by sliding the same from the small toward the large end of the shaft, the forward part of said main portion being longitudinally enlarged, whereby said handle when viewed in transverse cross section is generally circular but with a rounded projection at one side for increased comfort when gripping the same, the upper end of said main portion being threaded to receive the second part of the handle, said second part being an internally threaded cupshaped cap which is screwed onto the main part of the handle.

11. A ski pole comprising a hollow tapered metallic shaft, a basket near the lower end of the shaft, a wrist strap and a two-part molded plastic handle near the upper end of the shaft, a weighty metal plug inserted in the hollow upper end of the shaft in order to help offset the weight of the basket and to better dynamically balance the pole, the ends of said wrist strap being riveted directly to the ski pole independently of the handle by means of a rivet extending through the handle and balance plug, said handle comprising a main portion having a tapered hole adapted to mate with the upper end of the shaft by sliding the same from the small toward the large end of the shaft, the forward part of said main portion being longitudinally enlarged, whereby said handle when viewed in transverse lcross section is generally circular but with a rounded projection at one side, for increased comfort when gripping the same, the upper end of said main .portion 'being cut away to receive the ends of the wrist strap, and being threaded to receive the second part of the handle, said second part being an internally threaded cupshaped cap which is screwed onto the main part of the handle and encloses and conceals the riveted inner end of the wrist strap.

12. A collar intended to detachably hold a basket on the shaft of a ski pole, said collar comprising male and female portions, said male portion having a head and a shank with a hole running axially therethrough to receive the shaft of the ski pole, said female portion having a hole dimensioned to fit over the shank of the male portion, and releasable means to anchor said female portion on said shank with an annular .space between the head of the male portion and the female portion, said space being suitable to receive and hold the basket, the walls defining said annular space being conoidal, so that the annular space therebetween is V-shaped in section, thereby facilitating tilting of the basket.

13. A metal basket and support for a ski pole, said basket comprising a metal ring and a plurality of diametrically arranged sheet metal straps stamped out of relatively thin flexible rust-proof metal, the ends of said straps being fastened to the ring, and a grooved collar having an axial hole adapted to fit the ski pole, the center portions of said straps being perforated for mounting inthe groove of said collar for free rotation on said collar.

14. A metal basket and support for a ski pole, said basket comprising a metal ring and a plurality of diametrically arranged sheet metal straps stamped out of relatively thin iiexible brass or like rust-proof metal, the ends of said straps being folded about the ring and fastened, and a grooved collar having an axial hole adapted to t the ski pole, the center portions of said straps being widened and perforated for mounting in the groove of said collar for free rotation on said collar.

CHARLES NICHOLS. 

